"This is my dragon. He is called Stephano. I'm currently trying to sell him to the highest bidder. He's kinda fat. He'd make a good steak."
Astrid is normally quite calm and cool around those she doesn't know very well. To the outsider, she is unfriendly, cold and merely a product of her upbringing. However, underneath professionalism, Astrid is a fun loving, excitable, young girl. As she didn't have the chance to have a childhood when she was younger, she now acts with immaturity and childlike behaviour with people she knows well. Stephano and Astrid are bonded (although rather unwillingly to begin with) and although both have grudgingly accepted this bond, Astrid still tries to half heartedly get rid of her poor dragon. Locking him in cupboards, trying to sell him to dubious restaurants, you name it. However, if anyone tried to take Stephano from her without her consent of even hurt the dragon, the young assassin's protective streak would come most indefinitely into play. As an assassin from a young age, Astrid treats murder and violence as just an everyday occurrence and pays it no mind. Because of this, her own actions are often violent and confrontational. Astrid also possesses a childlike mentality and often does not see the long term consequences of her actions.
Weapon: Astrid favours long range weapons such as bows and throwing knifes, being very skilled in archery. Her bow is something she is never without, her quiver being a permanent part of her appearance. The young assassin also has a copious amount of knives hidden on her person as well as her chloroform laced gloves. However, when faced with an enemy at close range, she isn't too put off as her strength is one of her main advantages in a fight. Astrid can also use Stephano in a fight as he wraps himself around her by launching him at enemies.
Abilities: As discussed above, Astrid is skilled in both long range and hand to hand combat but has health problems that often limit her abilities. A serious illness she had as a child ruined Astrid's immune system, leaving her very vulnerable to most illnesses. This leaves her very frail at times and unable to fight to her best ability. Stephano tries to make up for these times by being a weapon in his own right and protecting Astrid.
Astrid's past is sketchy at best, being orphaned from an extremely young age and falling into the shadowy world of Riena. She has known nothing more than being an assassin and does her best in every job she takes on. Astrid avoids talking about her past but Stephano occasionally references to a great tragedy that happened to Astrid. Astrid never talks about this and Stephano is the only direct access to information on Astrid's past apart from a few people within the order.
Sample:
Two pairs of bright eyes took in the scene below them. The young woman's fingers tightened upon the bow that she held and the arrow that fit snuggly against her hand. The girl's long hair was pinned up to the back of her head, keeping the long locks away from her eyes. She had a bow after all. The weapon was useless if you couldn't see to aim.
"Are you sure about this?" The dragon wrapped around her body asked, curling up to the young woman for warmth. The girl turned to look at the dragon that was leeching off her warmth. The big round eyes that looked up at her did not softed her glare any.
"Of course I'm sure, Stephano! I'm always sure. I mean, when have I ever been wrong?" She hissed back at the dragon, jostling her bow so that it walloped the dragon on the nose. The yellow-brown being contemplated biting his companion but decided against it. She might decide to try and sell him again. And every time she did that, the dragon felt self-concious over his weight. He wouldn't make a nice roast dinner, damn it.
"Well, there was that time you tried to get rid of me by locking me in a closet." The dragon replied good naturedly. He spread out his huge spindly wings a little before folding them away again. That was the one thing he hated about this part. It may be quiet and calm but it was rather uncomfortable. Scratch that, very uncomfortable. Stephano rolled his head and trained his eyes back down below him. It was the same as before. The dragon fought a sigh.
"That wasn't a mistake. It was an apparently ill thought out attempt at getting rid of you. How did you get out of there anyway?" Astrid asked, glancing at her dragon companion from the edge of her vision. She needed to keep an eye below her at all times. She had to wait for the chance to strike. She couldn't mess this one up. Stephano looked up at her and raised a ridge that would be an eyebrow.
"I'm a dragon."
"Fair point." The girl replied, rolling her shoulders. Damn. A couple hours in the same positions really did a number on your muscles. Astrid fought against the pins and needles that were travelling through her legs by hopping softly from crouched foot to foot. Stephano growled beneath his breath and slapped the assassin with the tip of his tail. Astrid glared at the dragon who returned the favour.
"And that was for...?"
"I get motion sickness."
"Of course you do." Astrid muttered. She started to entertain thoughts of dropping Stephano off in a homeless shelter or something and running away. Or maybe selling him to a very dubious restaurant where the chicken on the menu is definitely not chicken.
"Stop that. I am not a rare meat and I find you insinuating this rather insulting." The dragon groused, eyes flickering up to make eye contact with his partner. Stephano rolled his eyes and squirmed to get a better look on what was happening below their perch. Still very little.
Not much else happened for a while. Astrid continued her mental plans of auctioning her dragon off to the highest bidder while Stephano tried to nurse his faltering self confidence and convince himself that, no, he would not taste delectable with a creamy mushroom sauce, thank you very much. It continued like this in silence until Astrid groaned softly and let her head rest against the cool firm bow.
"Seriously. Why do crime gang leaders take so long to do anything?" The young woman complained, eyes screwed shut. This was boring. And tedious. And oh-so-boring.
"Well. One. They are criminals. They aren't exactly going to flaunt themselves or their plans in public, are they? And two, everything must be planned down to the last second. You'll just have to wait." The sandy coloured dragon hissed below his breath, trying to encourage his companion to lower her voice. It just wouldn't do to be spotted now. Stephano refused to be spotted now after investing so much time into this.
"But waiting is boring. And I'm tired." Astrid cleared her throat softly and rested her chin upon the bow in front of her. Stephano felt uneasy as she coughed.
"You're not feeling ill again, are you?" The smallish dragon asked, his voice coloured with concern. For once, Astrid did not meet his worry with scorn. Instead she offered her dragon a soft sincere smile and moved to scratch him below his chin. The dragon moved into the movement and let out a little purring noise. The young assassin revelled in this tiny bit of affection that no one else had seen but Stephano. She didn't exactly exhibit affection too often.
"I'm fine, doll. Just got a little cough, really." Astrid reassured, her voice clear of her previous irritation.
"That may be so but last time you had a little cough you were coughing up blood and had to seek medical care. Forgive me but that was not pleasant. I couldn't eat properly for days because you had coughed your throat raw." Stephano replied, not harshly. Just a statement of fact. The dragon couldn't tell if Astrid was beginning to become ill but he most definitely knew about it when she felt like death warmed up in a microwave. Oh yes, he definitely knew then.
"That wasn't blood, Stephano, it was phlegm. And for the record, I still blame you for me getting ill." The assassin added, hand moving up to scratch her companion behind the right ear while her eyes were trained to the group of people below them.
"I'm sure your phlegm is always a delightful pink-red, dear. And how could I be blamed for getting you ill?" The dragon asked, amusement sparkling in his yellow eyes. This banter and (although somewhat tenuous) companionship was what made their relationship work and the dragon enjoyed almost every second of it.
"You used your dragon-ness and infected me with some evil dragon flu. Then you realised that it was affecting you too so you grudgingly took it off me. That's my explanation anyway." The young woman finished with a snort, trying to stop herself from giggling. She couldn't do that now. Not here. This was work. She was working. Astrid flopped her head to the side. But did work have to be so boring?
"If you are finished lamenting your poor little life, would you kindly lift your head? I am getting a little squished here." The dragon hissed between his teeth. Really, did she have to act like an absolute idiot all the time? She was an assassin! Stephano grumbled to himself for a while before scrabbling out from under Astrid's head to look below them. To his surprise, there was actually something going on. Their target was moving away from the rest of his companions and was heading towards the exit of the building. Perfect.
The dragon cast his gaze up to his partner and found her...not looking at what was happening. She has looking away from him. Ignoring him. The dragon fought the urge to bang his head against a nearby wall over and over, instead plumping for trying to get his assassin's attention.
"Astrid, lo-"
"Nope."
"But Astrid-"
"Nuh uh."
"Seriously, look ov-"
"Not listening!"
By this point, Stephano had just given up on gentle prodding and resigned himself to Plan B. The dragon readied himself, claws firmly dug into Astrid's shoulder guard. Then he struck out, as fast as a viper, his teeth nipping the girl's ear lobe none to gently. Of course it didn't hurt her that much but that didn't stop her reacting as if her had ripped her face off. The dragon hid his face against the sudden barrage of flailing limbs battering his scales. When the attack had ceased, Stephano poked his yellow brown head out and was met by the furious glare of the young T'vali.
"What. Was. That. For?" Astrid bit out, hand massaging her assulted ear.
"Your target has skedaddled." The dragon replied, examining his claws carefully.
"Wait, what?" Astrid blinked and peeked over the edge. It was true enough, the leader had broken away. The young woman did nothing to stop the wide grin that pulled at her face as she felt anticipation rise within her. "Well, hot damn. Come on, Stephano, we've got work to do."
With that little warning, the dragon pulled himself back into position as Astrid picked up her bow. Then she jumped. Stephano spread out his wings and both dragon and assassin glided silently over towards the opposite building. The young assassin gripped the window ledge tightly, eyes trained down on the target. Her eyes flickered towards her dragon who returned the look. The dragon winked at her and gave a strange look that Astrid knew was his version of a smile.
"You'll do great, love." Stephano murmured softly into her ear. That was when she raised her bow, readied her arrow, took aim, gave a little prayer to Riena and let her arrow fly.